In this engaging and important book, Old Testament scholar W. Eugene March develops a theology of land, contending that since the world belongs to God, we do not “own” land. Rather, land is a loan from God, and we must use it responsibly and justly. March goes on to examine in some detail the relationship between Israel and the Palestinian people, rehearsing both the history of that relationship and how it has led to today’s conflict.

“While one of my goals is to enable readers, especially North American Christians, to become better informed about the history and significance of modern Israel, I also have a wider objective, namely, an understanding and appreciation of God’s claim on all land. The search for a just peace in the Middle East involves knowledge about the peculiar history of the peoples of the area. But the principles that guide the search can be applied to any conflict over land— whether in the Middle East, Central America, the United States, or wherever.”—from the preface